Sudanese president confers with Arafat

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir met on Sunday night with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat when Arafat's plane stopped in Khartoum following a visit to Yemen.

The Sudanese news agency quoted Arafat as saying that he came to Sudan to consult with al-Bashir on the announcement of the Palestinian state on May 4.

Arafat added, the Sudanese agency continued, that Israel has deliberately decided to hold early elections on May 17 to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.